Don't Take It All Away
by LOSE IT ALL
Summary: Kristin's dad is coming back a new man. New girlfriend, taking care of two young kids. But now, he's got custody of Kristin again. Will her wish come true? Or will it all be torn away from her? **Finished**
1. Default Chapter

Don't Take It All Away-Chapter One  
  
The Ezra/Jules story is coming next. This takes place one month before Kristin's 13th birthday. Summer Of Miracles never happened in this story; however Cole came and gone.  
  
Kristin woke up groaning. It was a clear, blue Monday morning, but that night she had had a dream about her dad and had gotten little sleep. She looked around a noticed that everyone else was bustling around and getting ready.  
  
She felt a pillow hit her face and snatched it away and saw shelby's smirking face. "Rise and shine, sunshine," she said cheerfully. Kristin couldn't help but grin. "Leave me alone!" she whined and kicked waay her covers. "Hey, get up or I'll tell your dad," Shel teased. Kristin shot up. "Hey, I meant Peter," Shelby said softly and dropped her smirk.  
  
"Are you okay? You've been acting weird lately. I mean, even weirder than usual." "Haha, funny. yes, I'm fine. Now can I get ready?" Krisitn mumbled and got up. She went to the bathroom and shut and locked the door.  
  
Kristin got dressed then looked in the mirror. She almost wanted to cringe. She was unusually small for a twelve-year-old. She was barely 5'2 and only weighed 95 pounds-the usual weight for the average 9 or ten-year- old. She had many visible-and hidden-scars. All because of that shithole of a dad (except for her height of course). He had starved her day in and day out. He made her do those bad things like lie, steal and runaway for survival. If anyone knew everything that happened to her, tey would've thought that it was all made up.  
  
She just shook her head in dissaporval of her image and pulled a hat over her hair. She was wearing baggy jeans, a whine long-sleeved shirt under a blue Nike shirt. She saw Auggie walking to the school building. "Yo, shorty, you mis breakfast. We're late eveyrone else is already in there," he called. Kristin groaned. She was starving.  
  
But instead of saying anything, she caught up with him and they walked. "Auggie, you're late. And what a surpise, sure is Ms. Kristin." Frank said sarcastically. "Chill, teach I have an excuse." Auggie said. "And yours?" Frank asked, looking at her. "I woke up late." "Not a good excuse." "You didn't ask for a good excuse. You just asked for an excuse." she pointed out. Frank rolled his eyes. "Take a seat. Both of you," he said through clenched teeth. Kristin saluted him and sat in the very back away from the others.  
  
Scott started talking to Shelby "She's so distant now," he commented. "She probably just thinks she doesn't fit in. She's 12, the rest of us are 16 and 17. It may not seem like a big difference but at our age it is. She's fine," shelby assured him. Scott smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, preacher," he whispered. SUddenly Frank was above them. "Hey, teach. 'Sup?" Scott asked. "Not your grades, Scott. So, until you have A's in every subject, keep your and Miss Merrick's personal conversations when you're not in class. Now, all of you open your social studies books to page 299. We'll be studying the French and Indian War today..."  
  
Scott rolled his eyes and opened his book then looked back at Kristin. She was slumped back in her chair chewing gum and folding paper to make airplanes and origami. Her book was propped open.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
The mans tepped out of his car on his freshly mowed lawn. His dirty blonde hair was spiked up and he was a clean-cut, handsome man. He smiled as his new four-year--old son Colt ran to him shrieking. "Daddy!"  
  
Cole had been dropped off at the man's house just three months before while he was in rehab. Colt was hi ex-wifes and her new husbands son. They didn't want any more kids-he already had 4-she he agreed t take him.  
  
Since he had been in rehab his girlfriend Leigh had taken care of him along with the 3-mointh-old son she had from her ex-husband. The baby was Samuel-Sammy. "What's Leigh and Sammy doing?" the man asked. "Leigh's doing hte dishes. I was helping but I heard your car so I ran out. Sammy is in his planpen." colt explained. "That's my boy. Has Sammy been good?" "No! He's been crying all day." "Ahh. I'm sure he's just not feeling well. Go help Leigh." "Okay, daddy."  
  
The man watched Colt run in. He sighed and thought of his hidden past. His hidden children. Where they REALLY were-juvi hall and a school for dysfunctional teens.  
  
The man was Kristin's father. 


	2. meetin daddy

Don't Take It All Away: Chapter Two  
  
Last time I checked I didn't have any reviews so please please please review! Also, I know I said the Ezra/Jules story would come up next, but now I got another idea. Either the Ezra/Jules one, or one that features all the Cliffhangers (but concentrates on the guys-Ezra, Auggie, Scott, Cole and Peter. ANd David) that's about Peter making them join a 'Big Brother' program witht he local orphanage, where each guy takes care of two kids one day a week?  
  
"Oh great, mystery meat day," Auggie joked, poking at his "meatload". "At least it has a name. Remember yesterday's lunch? It actually said untitiled on the menu," Daisy pointed out. Kristin dropped her fork. "You guys are to gross," she mumbled and went to put her tray up. "She never eats anymore," Ezra said. "Should we tell Peter? It's not really of our business," he asked. "We should; but I have a feeling Peter knows. He's been watching her like a hawk all week at lunch," Kat reasoned. "Then whydoesn't he make her eat?" Scott asked. "YOu can't make a little kid eat, Scott. Even if he has talked to her. He might not've." Shelby said.  
  
Kristin walked to Peter;s office. He had said he wanted to talk to her after lunch. He walked in and she saw him talking to a young woman and a man but didn't see their faces. "Peter?" she asked. "Don't with lunch already?" Peter asked. "Um, I wasn't that hungry," she said. Peter shook his head. "You have to eat, Kristin," he scolded. She rolled her eyes. "What'd you need?" she demanded. "Who are they?"  
  
Peter motioned for them to turn around. The girl did first. She gave a warm smile. "Hi, Kristin. My name is Leigh." she introduced herself. Kristin gave her a look that said, 'um, okay...?' Then the man slowly turned around.  
  
Kristin's heart jumped into her mouth and all of a sudden she had trouble breathing. Her breaths were shaky and got stuck in her throat. "You..what are you doing here?" she demanded.  
  
"Kristin, I swear to God, I'm sorry..." he started. "No!" she yelled. "Kristin, calm down..Your father just got out of rehab, and legally, he still has custody of you, and he'd like to take you back home for a little trial..."  
  
"You lied to me, Peter! You told me I wasn't HIS anymore! That I was yours and Sophie!" she accused angrily. "I know, but that's what they told me. It turned out since he went to rehab he just lost custody temporarily." "And what 'little trial'? I'm not going home with him! You see this," she screamed, raising her shirt to show her stomach where a large scar was, "he threw me when I was three. I don't remember what I touched but I almost bled to death. You see this?" she yelled, raising her bangs revealing a scar. "He did THAT to. You want me to show you all the scars?"  
  
Peter shook his head. "Kristin, please, you're to young to understand everything that's going along with it!" "I'm to young? Yet I've seen people been killed, been near death god only knows how many times. Oh yeah I'm to young to understand something as simple as he hates me, and proved it every day up til my freaking band teacher rescued me," she exclaimed.  
  
She turned to her dad. "Who is Leigh? Your new accomplice? What are you going to do this time, daddy? Take me back and after two weeks start beating me again? You know, when the social workers stop coming by? Yeah, don't think I forgot that," she said. "I've always been scared to death of you. If it weren't for Horizon, either I would've killed my self or you would've. And I sure as hell would't be expressing my feelings like this."  
  
She glared at him. He looked away, his face in pain. "Krisitn, I really am sorry. I've changed. I have Leigh...two little boys..." he said. She gave him one last look and ran outside, heading for the woods. Peter chased after her. He grabbed her but she was still kicking and punching so he wrestled her to the ground.  
  
"Get off!" she screamed basically into the ground because she was stomachdown. "Stop, Kristin!" he said quietly. Since Steven left, this had beena weekly routine. He and Sophie often has to tackle her to the ground and pin her down because she had so many outburts.  
  
"No! Get off!" "Kristin, I don't want you to go ubt it's the law. I swear that if he lays a hand on you, and I find out, he'll love custody permenently."  
  
She stopped after awhile. "You can't make me go. I'll run away," she threatened. "You do that and they might not let you come back here."  
  
She looked straight into his eyes. "I'm only going because you're making me. You're getting rid of me just like he did. I hate you!" she yelled and ran to her dorm. 


	3. Uh...excuse me???

Don't Take It All Away: Chapter Three  
No one's reviewed yet! Does no one like it? I don't know unless you review! Please review?  
  
It was the day that they were to leave and Peter was talking to her dad. "Listen, Robert, if I hear that you hit her, than i swear to God that I will file for permanent custody as soon as I do. And, she will probably have outbursts, especially at school, and you'll need to pin her down or she'll hurt someone."   
  
"Okay, Peter," Robert said in an annoyed voice. Peter looked behind him and saw Scott holding Kristin like she was only four or five. Robert turned around. "Scott?" he asked in surprise. "No I'm my dad," Scott said sarcastically. "Scott!" peter scolded.  
  
"Bye, Scott," Kristin said, hugging his neck. Scott whispered in her ear, "you have the number. You know what to do if he, ya know..." SHe nodded and he put her down.  
  
"Why don't you go get in the car?" RObert said cheerfully. She ignored him and ran for Peter. "I'm only going because you're making me," she reminded him angrily. "I know, I know," he said. "Listen, I'll see you soon, okay? Listen to him..now go get in the car," Peter said. "Listen to him no matter what you're feelings are," he then added.  
  
She walked to the van and climbed in. There was a car seat next to her and she knew that must be where the baby-she didn't know what any of their names were yet-sat in the car.  
  
THen Robert got into the car and they drove off. Kristin turned around and waved forlornly to Peter. He smiled a sad smile and waved back. Sophie then ran behind him and waved back, too. Scott had already started walking back.  
  
"So, Kristin, what kinda music you listen to?" Leigh asked, she was driving. "ANything really. Except country," Kristin answered, resting her elbow on the arm rest and looking at the window.  
  
"AH, you're just like your dad," Leigh started but Kristin interupted, "Don't you ever sya that!" Leigh seemed taken by surprise but sighed and glanced at Robert who looked away. "Kristin, we're putting all that behind us. Steven, what your dad did to you, all that," she said, "so I don't want to hear any more of that, okay?"  
  
"What do you know?" Kristin mumbled back. "I know that you really need to drop the attitude. Regardless of what happened, he's your father and I'm your mother. We got married last week." She snapped.  
  
"You're NOT my mother. My mom abadonded me. The only mom I got is Sophie." Kristin replied. Leigh just shook her head and focused on the road.  
  
"So, uh, Kristin, you know you got two brothers now?" Robert asked timidly, trying to start up a conversation. "Yeah. I knew when you told me yesterday, too." she said, not trying to be rude but that was the fifth time he'd tried to start conversation with that sentance.  
  
"Oh. Uh, sorry. Well, I don't think I told you their names yet. The baby is Sammy. Colt is four. He's real smart. Like you." He complimented. "Thanks," she mumbled.  
  
"Well, we live in the same neighborhood. Jonathon, Andre, Adam, Brittany, Andy, Ben and everyone still live there. Except for Marquis and Shawna. They moved within a month of eachother." He explained. "Who would want Ben and Andy to still live there?" she asked. He broke a smile and his eyes met hers in the mirror [uh, what's that mirror that hangs from hte top of the car? Rear-view? Whatever. That's what I mean]. His eyes resembled hers a lot.  
  
Two hours later of bits and pieces of conversations they drove up into the house Kristin hadn't seen in nearly six months.  
  
She stepped out and the door opened. Soon, a German Shepard and a little boy stood before you. "Who you?" he asked. "I'm Kristin." she answered, "Who're you?" "I'm Colt. This is Pandy," he said and patted the huge dog that was almost taller than him. "Hi, Colt. Hi, Pandy," Kristin said and the boy giggled. "He can't answer, silly!" Kristin smiled. "He can't? Wow, I didn't know that!" and the boy giggled more.   
  
Robert stepped behind Colt and places his hands on his shoulder. "Colt, remember I told you about your sister coming to live with us? This is her," He introduced them.  
  
"Oh. Daddy has a picture of you. You have a bad boo-boo on your eye. Daddy said you ran into the door. Silly!" Colt exclaimed. Kristin looked back at her dad. He looked away. "Yeah, that's what happened alright," Kristin answered.  
  
"You wanna see Sammy? He's my baby brudder!" colt exclaimed and grabbed her hand and pulled her to the house and inside, Pandy barking and following. Kristin saw a teenager holding a little baby boy dressed in Osh Kosh overalls. "Hi, you must be Kristin. I'm Diana, the baby-sitter," Diana greeted her warmly. Kristin half-smiled.  
  
"Hi." she answered. "Oh, your dad talks so much about you. It's a wonder he sent you to boarding school!" Kristin looked confused, "Boarding school?" and her dad quickly said, "Yeah, kiddo, I explained how you went to boarding school this school year..but I missed you so much I demanded you come straight home," he said and let out a chuckle.  
  
Kristin looked around the house, expecting to find the house in a complete mess. But, no. The floor was carpeted with different carpet. There was a fresh coat of paint and the house was mainly picked up except for toys belonging to Colt and Sammy.   
  
The house didn't smell, either. Of nothing bad, anyway. It smelled fresh with a combination of flowers and candle scents.  
  
Colt smiled up at her. "Do you like my house? Huh?" he asked in excitement. "Uh, yeah. I..I guess I do," she stammered. 


	4. Cole

Don't Take It All Away: Chapter Four  
  
Ahh ff.net is finally back on. For any of you who like the TV show Pacific Blue [also canceled in 2000], I started a PB fic. Click on my penname to get it. It's called "Only Hope". Well on to the story! This chapter will be different from hte others cuz it's on Cole, so don't think it's a different story! I forgot thatI was putting Cole in the story and on the first chapter put "Nothing in SOM reflects this story"...well Cole's character does:-) Please r/r  
  
Cole's House...  
  
Cole sighed in exasperation when Kimmy started crying again. "Lindsay! Get her for me!" he yelled as he struggled to control the dinner and the tea. Rebecca was at work until midnight most nights trying to support five kids, so he pretty much took care of the kids except when he was at school when Kimmy was at day care. So he had to go straight from school on his dirtbike to the day care and make sure Lindsay and the twins were home okay.  
  
"I'm doing my homework!" she yelled from the den. "Lindsay, I'm cooking! I can't leave; please get Kimmy!" he yelled back. "Argh!" she screamed, frusterated and threw down her math book. "I hate dad! I hate him!" he could hear her yelling as she kicked the walls. Cole sighed and turned off the stove to the tea. This had become a daily routine; he cook dinner, Kimmy cry, Lindsay scream about how much she hated their father.  
  
About five minutes later, when Cole had Kimmy in his arms, the door opened and Rebecca walked in looking dead tired. She saw Cole looking frusterated as he struggled to hold Kimmy, make the tea, and fix everyone's plates. "Oh, Cole," she cried and rushed to him. She grabbed Kimmy and looked into Cole's tired eyes. "Cole..I'm so sorry.." she said, wiping a tear. "It's okay, Becky really. At least dad's not here anymore."  
  
"But that's whats so wrong! I can't support five kids and you can't take care of three kids and a baby, not at your age. You shouldn't have to." "I don't mind, really, Becky!" Cole exclaimed, finishing up the kids' plates. "No, Cole. I talked to Peter...I want you back at Horizon." she said finally. Lindsay was behind her. "No!" she yelled and ran to her room. "But I need to help out around here, Becky. You can't take care of all of them."  
  
That was when she started to talk and someone knocked on hte door. "I'll get it!" Trev yelled. He swung the door open just as Becky was about to scold him about not asking who it was.  
  
"YOu?" She yelled in disgust. On the doormat stood their father, holding some flowers. "Becky-I just needed a break. I realized how much I missed you guys..." he said, walking in. Lindsay ran in and just stared at him. "You can't let him back here, Becky," Lindsay and Cole said at the same time.  
  
Instead of answering them she walked to him, setting Kimmy on the floor and wrapped her arms around him. Cole stared at her, dumb founded. The twins just moved closer to him. Cole knew it wasn't their fault-they were to young to know everything. "I'm going to pack!" he yelled and ran to his room and slammed the door. 


	5. prayer

Don't Take It All Away Chapter Five  
  
Ahhh sorry for not updating as much as I use to...I run three [about the be four] websites and have five [only four is actually being added to lately tho] fanfictions going on.  
  
That night at dinner, Colt sat in his booster seat next to Kristin grinning ear to ear. "I'm next to my big sissy!" he shrieked, taking a sip of Kool- Aid. "Okay, Colt, calm down," Robert warned. "Yes, siyer!" Colt answered, saluting him. "Cole has a behavior problem-he's very hyper," Leah explained. Kristin nodded.  
  
"So, Kristin, I know it's short notice, but you'll be going to school tomorrow." Robert said halfway through the silent dinner. Kristin looked up. "What? I just got here, though," she said. "I know, honey. But I don't want to keep you out of school. Plus you'll like being with kids your own age."  
  
Kristin didn't say anything else. She felt like crying. She missed Peter and Sophie and Brandon. She missed the Cliffhangers and the way Shelby would tease her and Scott tickle her without warning. She missed Ezra's advice and the way Auggie always stuck up for her. She missed Jules always talking to her like she wasn't a little kid. She even missed Daisy's sudden tarot readings.  
  
But she swallowed the lump in her throat and reminded herself that crying proved that you were a wuss like she had before she went to Horizon. After dinner she got up and put her plate up and went to her room without saying anything.  
  
She looked around and finally noticed the Eddie Bauer backpack lying in a corner next to her desk. Her dad walked in and she backed up and fell on the bed. "Hey, be careful," he said. "Well...they moved the time up for the bus-you should eb at the stop at 7:30 so i'll wake you up around seven. We had a pretty late dinner tonight so it's 9 right now...you might wanna hit the sack soon," he warned her, looking around nervously.  
  
She just nodded. "Why'd you do it?" she asked finally. "Do what?" he asked, even though he knew. "You know." she said.  
  
"I d-don't know, Kristin. Just...forget about it, okay?" he begged. "You expect me to forget twelve years of my life?" she demanded. He didn't answer. "I have to get up early. With a baby and a little kid, you gotta do that so i'm going to bed in probably an hour. If you need anything, you know where I'll be." He said and walked out. SHe slumped onto her bed and looked around her room. It was the same she remembered it except there was a new bed and desk.  
  
She laid down after getting changed and turning off the lights and prayed to God: "Please, God, this is to good to be true...Don't take it all away..." 


	6. Not You!

Don't Take It All Away: Chapter Six  
  
Pwase, pwease, pwease weview? Warning: This chapter should be pretty long.  
  
Kristin's dad shook her awake the next morning. She saw him and jumped a little but then relaxed. "Hey, it's time to get up," he greeted her and turned on the light. She groaned and covered her head.  
  
After a few minutes she got up and got dressed. THen she grabbedher backpack and went to the kitchen where everyone was. "Hi-hi, Kristin!" Colt said, running to her and hugging her around her knees, nearly knocking her down. "Colt Davidson Maddox! Sit it NOW!" Leah warned.  
  
"Kristin do you want me to drive you?" her dad asked, handing Colt a plastic cup of orange juice. "No thanks. I wanna ride the bus." she said. Robert smiled understandably. "Okay. Well you'll have the same schedule but you still need to go by the office. You should get going." he said.  
  
"Okay." she answered and headed for the front door. "Well, uh, have a good day," Robert called. She didn't even acknowledge him, she just headed for the bus stop.  
  
At the bus stop there were two new kids but everyone else she reconized. Including Ashley, the one who turned her in to the principal and band teacher. She stopped when she was almost there and stared at Ashley, who still hadn't reconized her. Adam did, though. He gasped and ran to her. "Kristin! What are you doing home?" he demanded. "I-I'm back," she stuttered. "What? For good?" he asked incrediously. "Yeah..." she said.  
  
He shook his head. "I'm not even gonna ask. Well there's the bus. Let's go," he said and they climbed on the bus. Everyone stared at her and whispered as she went by. Adam sat down in their usual seat and she slid in next to him. "It's still ours?" she asked in surprise. They had stolen those seats from the eighth graders at the beginning of the year. "Sure." Adam answered. Ashley sat across from them. "Kristin!" she exclaimed in a fake voice. 'Had she always been like this?' Kristin thought to herself.  
  
"What, Ash?" she asked. "Oh I'm just soo surprised to see you! Everyone knows about your father and Horizon..I didn't know you'd ever come back." Ashley said practically. "Who told them?" Kristin yelled. "It's not that hard to figure out. Your dad in rehab, brother in juvi, 'the girl with the bruises' just...gone. Duh."  
  
"It's not like I was at a foster home. Of course I could come back." she snapped. "Yeah well considered you were adopted, no one thought you'd be coming back!" Ashley said and turned to talk to her friends. "Who told her?" she demanded. "I sorta let it slip. Sorry," he said and she could tell he was being truthful.  
  
When they got to school Kristin went straight to the office and was met by the principal [I have no clue what I named him/her in "Secrets" so I'm gonna make up a name] Mr. Meyers.  
  
She went into his office and sat down. "Kristin, I asked you to come here before you return to your routine because I wanted to talk to you. You understand the situation with your father don't you?" he asked. "What situation?" she asked. "That he has you back, after neglect and abuse were charged but dropped under agreeable circumstances." She shrugged. "I guess."  
  
"Well, we have to keep up with your progress and the way he's treating you, so a social worker will be coming by once every two weeks for about six months. And if we see any suspicious marks on you, we have to bring you in and check on the home situation, and to make sure you and your brothers are safe." He explained. "Six months? You think I'll be here for six months? Yeah right! I'm going back to Horizon no matter what anyone says." she said defiantly. "Kristin, go to your classes." he said.  
  
She left but turned around. "No matter what."  
  
She walked to homeroom. Everyone turned around and grew quiet when they saw her. Kristin wasn't enjoying the attention. She took her seat and slumped down in the seat just like she always had.  
  
Then the bell rang and she flew to her first class. Seeing the famaliar surroundings made her remember her routine...rush as fast as you could to stay out of trouble...That was just her slogan. Don't be slow. Don't say something stupid. Don't look in their eyes.  
  
Towards the end of the day, she was pretty much fed up with the stares and whispers, which were usually things like, "see her? her dad beat her. She went to some place in the mountains." Like no one DIDN'T know. Even the teachers stared at her.  
  
Band was the last class of the day. Mr. Sheyne greeted her. "Hey, kiddo," he said. He was the only one who hadn't been acting weird around her. "Hi Mr. Sheyne." she answered with a brief smile. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Everyone's just acting so weird. I don't see how they found out! They don't know my dad, or me, and how would they know what happened to Steven..he's in the US."  
  
"I don't know either, kristin. Just be patient. Things will return to normal." he assured her. "Why would I want them to be normal?" she asked. "I meant without..you know," he said. "Without my dad hating me. Yeah I know," she said bitterly and walked to where she usually sat. After a few moments Ashley and her friend Bailey come up to her. "Uh, this is our seats little girl," Bailey said.  
  
Kristin glared at her. "Since when?" she demanded. "Since you got sent to the looney bin. We took these seats cuz we didn't want to sit next go Gonzalo." she said, pointing to the huge tuba player. "Go shove it this is my seat." Kristin said. Adam came and slid in the seat where one of them sat. "Go away Bailey and Ashley," he demanded.  
  
"Whose gonna make us?" "I will! Now get the fuck away from me!" Kristin growled. "Whatever. What are you going to do? Sick your loving brother on me?" Bailey asked with a smirk. That set Kristin off. She jumped up and shoved Bailey into the seats next to them and punched her in the face. "Take it back you bitch!" she spat in her face. "Fuck you!" She yelled and shoved Kristin off of her. Adam watched helplessy as Kristin got into a fight on her first day back. Then Mr. Sheyne turned up. He grabbed the two, Kristin struggling to get away and took them to the principal's office. Before he left again, he gave Kristin a dissaproving look.  
  
She looked away. Mr. Meyers came in and groaned. "Not you!" he moaned when he saw Kristin, who shrugged innocently. "What'd you do, Bailey?" he asked, knowing that if something set Kristin off it was something about her previous life. "Me? I just made an innocent comment about her loving brother!" she said, shrugging. Krisitn jumped up but Mr. Meyers grabbed her. "Kristin! bailey! We can't have this..Bailey you're suspended for two days. Kristin, one. Now stay here until dismissal." he barked and strode out.  
  
"God you'd think you would love your brother," Bailey mumbled. "Fuck off!"  
  
  
  
~Next chapter: How will kristin's dad take it? and Cole coming back to Horizon~ 


	7. Cole Come Back, Kristin is Whack

Don't Take It All Away  
  
~~About the same time Kristin's fight starts: at Mt. horizon...~~  
  
Cole's dad drove him up. "You're a jackass for doing this to Becky, you hear?" he snapped and slapped him.  
  
The car stopped and Cole jumped out. Peter had known he was coming back because Cole called him at midnight last night while everyone was asleep...  
  
Peter: (drowsy voice): hello? Cole: Hey Peter...Sorry for waking you I shouldn't be calling this late I'll call back later... Peter: (wide awake) No, it's okay Cole. What do you need? Is everything okay? Cole: My-my dad came home and Becky suggested I came back instead of running the house. Is it okay if I come back tomorrow? Please? Peter: Of course, Cole. You always have a bunk here. Cole: Thanks. I hear someone awake so I have to go. Bye.  
  
**Back to the future [giggles]**  
  
Cole ran to Peter. "Hey, Cole," Peter said,s miling warmly. There had been lots of letters exchanged, but Cole didn't know Kristin was gone. Suddenly his dad sped off and Cole looked down in shame. "It's okay, Cole. Just come on we already have the papers. And there's something I have to tell you about Kristin...She's gone. I mean, not dead, but she left. To go live with her biological father again for awhile." Peter explained. Cole looked athim in shock. "B-but he beat her, how could they let him get her back?" he demanded hoarsly. "He went to rehab, so they figured they should give him another chance.."  
  
**w/ Kristin and her Dad**  
  
"Colt, go to your room. NOW," Robert ordered as he walked in from picking Kristin up, Kristin following. Colt looked at Kristin. "She in twuble?" he asked curiously. "Colt." he said sternly. "Oh alRIGHT!" Colt mumbled and stomped to his room.  
  
"How could you get into a fight the first damn day, Kristin?!" He exclaimed. "She was talking garbage." Kristin mumbled, fiddling with her hands, gearing herself for the blows. "I don't care! You can't even make it through an entire day without getting into a fight, huh?" he demanded then turned sadder, "with that kind of behavior, they're going to think I'm still abusing you, don't you see? Then you won't even get to see and we may never get to visit again."  
  
"That's not my fault! If you hadn't hit me in the first place, no one would have that thought in their minds!" Kristin screamed and ran to her room. When she was there she slammed the door as hard as possible and cried into her pillow. 


	8. Phone Calls

Don't Take It All Away  
  
Pwase r/r!  
  
The next day Kristin just hung out at the house while Leah and Robert were at work and Colt was at pre-school and then he'd be going to a friend's house [for some reason Leah didn't trust Kristin with him...] But Sammy was there so kristin was playing with him mostly. Since she was the baby of the family-not that it really was a family-there were never any babies around.  
  
After awhile Sammy grew cranky so she took him upstairs and rocked him to sleep like she had seen Sophie or Peter do with Brandon. After he was asleep she carefully laid him in his crib and pulled hte blanket around him. For a moment, she just sat and watched him, praying he didn't have to go through what she did then went downstairs.  
  
All of a sudden she felt she needed to talk to Peter so she called him. "Hullo? School of rejects, Shelby Merrick speaking." Shelby answered, putting on a British accent. Kristin rolled her eyes. "Hey, reject," she responded. "Hey Kristin. Is everything alright?" Shelby asked, turning serious. "Yeah whatever. I need to talk to Peter," she said.  
  
"Peeeeeeeeeeter!" Shelby yelled. "I'm right here, Shelby!" Peter said, glaring at her. "I know that." Peter rolled his eyes and took the phone. "Hey, Kristin. Is everything alright?" he asked.  
  
"No, I wanna go back. NOW," she whined. Peter's alarm sounded. "What's wrong-did he hit you?" he demanded. "No. I just want to go back. I don't like it here. Everyone at school looks at me like I'm a freak. And he keeps bringing up the past. Like, it's gonna be better, just forget the past, and all that. I hate it here!"  
  
Peter sighed. He had been waiting for the call when she wanted to come home-he missed her a lot. The Cliffhangers seemed so different without the bubbly kid tagging along. But he knew that he couldn't just let her come back, she had to work through her troubles. "Kristin, I wish you could come back..." he started but she interupted. "You wish? Why can't I come back? Don't you want me to?" she cried.  
  
"Of course, it's just..You can't keep running from him, Kristin. You need to face it, and when you're still a little kid would be better than you at age 30, with kids of your own, and him still grilled into your mind." he explained. "I'm not gonna forgive him! I hate him! I don't want to be anywhere near him. he always says oh I love you but he doesn't or he wouldn't have done that!" she yelled with tears in her eyes.  
  
Peter sighed and Sophie walked in and mouthed, 'who is it?' and he mouthed back, 'guess' and she nodded. "Kristin..Listen, why don't I set up something with your dad? Maybe you can come and visit for awhile soon." he suggested. "no! I want to come back! I hate you! You're just like everyone else!" she screamed and slammed down the phone.  
  
She ran to her dad's room and struggled to breath at the same time. She knew she shouldn't have but she did. She forgot everything Peter and Sophie told her at Horizon about other ways to block pain.  
  
She took one of her dad's razor blades. 


	9. Sneaker Dude

Don't Take It All Away---Chapter Nine  
  
Thanks to Cole for helping me! Go check out his cool story called Newcomer! His user name is HGmonkey017 . Oh yeah, if anyone has heard a song with the following lyrics in it please tell me. I've heard it tons of times and I'd like to use it for one of my stories cuz it fits perfectly but the stupid gay radio station never announces who sings it! So here are bits and pieces [I'm not totally sure they are exactly correct it's from memory]: "To my mother/to my father/this is your son/or, this is your daughter/remembering all those things you've said/the silence gets us nowhere/gets us nowhere/gets us nowhere very fast".  
  
Cole walked into the boys dorm. It had seemed so long ago that he had been sleeping here, but it was really only a month or two. "Cole, my man!" Scott exclaimed. "Oh. Hey, Scott," Cole said, smiling a little.  
  
With everything, in truth, he had completely forgotten about how great everyone and everything at Horizon was. Everything felt so different without Kristin, especially.  
  
Kristin had brought the youth to Horizon-sure they were all kids, but none of them were twelve. What amde them seem even more like a family was the annoying tag-along that every family had. That was Kristin's role; beside the fact she was the most messed up twelve-year-old he had ever met.  
  
_____That night  
  
Cole couldn't sleepand he really wanted to talk to Kristin. He needed to make sure she was alright. He just hoped to God that she was still awake and her father wouldn't answer.  
  
He snuck to Peter's office and got into the files and found Maddox, Kristin. He sat at Peter's chair and looked over it. He had known that Kristin was, well...Kristin. The file stated that she basically was a thief and a run-away. Also that she drove her dirtbikes on private property just to annoy people. It sounded like her, alright.  
  
He got her number and called. Kristin answered, not sounding tired atall. "Kristin? It's Cole." he said, making sure to keep his voice down. "Cole? How'd you get this number? Why are you calling so late?" she demanded.  
  
"I'm bck at Horizon...my dad came back and Becky sent me back here. I snuck into the files. This is the only time I could call you and I just wanted to make sure you're alright." he explained. "I'm fine. I just wanna come back." "Did you tell Peter?" Cole asked. "yeah. Today. He said I couldn't. I wanna see you...and Scott and everyone. I don't care if I'm with Adam. So I do, but...I don't know how to explain it. In one way, I want everything better, like the past never happened, and to be here with a new family. But, the other way is, I wanna be with Peter and Sophie. the nightmares...they'd stay but at least I'd know that it happened and nothing's gonna change-it was better knowing what had happened then being where it was everyone ignoring it. And I want to be there, not here." she explained, her voice sounding less angry and more confused. "and I stole one of my dad's razors. I haven't cut in a real, real long time, Cole. Not since Jules found me doing it. Great, I hear footsteps. It's probably just Colt. He had a nightmare so he was in my bed. I have to go." she mumbled and hung up.  
  
Cole put the phone down and gulped. He knew Kristin would hate him if he told Peter that she was cutting again, but he didn't know what she'd do if he didn't. He was about to go back to the dorms when the light cut on and Peter appeared in the doorway\. 


	10. Telling Peter

Don't Take It All Away  
  
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and to everyone who told me about the song!!! ERR I had this complete thing and then my computer had to go and freeze. Just my luck!!!! If you haven't noticed, I changed my user name from ACROX2001 to Funkee Monkee because acrox2001 is boring and I have a thing for the word funky this days...my gurl.com name is Funkee-Monkee89, here it's Funkee Monkee, and my AIM name is FunKifiedACluvr. And look...it doesn't have the name Aaron Carter in it!!!!!  
  
Cole froze and his face as paled as Peter started talking. "Cole?! What are you doing? Those are restricted-you know that!" he exclaimed angrily. Cole jumped up and put the file away. "I-I just wanted to talk to Kristin..." he mumbled hoarsly.  
  
Peter softened a little and sighed. "You could've asked and I would've let you, Cole," he said then went back to Cole's punishment. "You're on shuns for a week. No doubt someone will be joining you so you won't be all alone. Kitchens," Peter informed him.  
  
"Peter, there's something about Kristin..." he started as they walked out into the dark. Peter's alarm sounded in his head-he had known this whole thing wasn't a good idea... "What, Cole?" he asked in a hurry. Cole swallowed and looked down. "Uh..n-never mind." he mumbled. "Cole, you have to tell me if it's something that can hurt her!" Peter scolded. "I'm going to bed," Cole said and ran to the boys dorm.  
  
**At Kristin's house**  
  
Colt had gone back to his bed and Kristin lay in her bed. Thinking about the six months before made her cry. She missed Peter and Sophie and the Cliffhangers. It wasn't fair. He beat her; why should she have to go back to him? just because he's taking care of two kids doesn't mean he's reformed. It means he's a suck-up like he always was.  
  
She swallowed back a lump and remembered the razor she had swiped and got off hte bed. She reached under the mattress, grabbedit and sat back down.  
  
She hadn't done this in so long it scared her to think of the pain it might cause. Instead of backing out, though, she squeazed her eyes shut and made a small cut on her arm just to get use to it.  
  
She swallowed again and lightly glided it across her arm...  
  
**Back at Horizon, that afternoon**  
  
Cole couldn't concentrate through classes. When they were switching classes he ran to Peter's office. He couldn't keep the secret anymore; he knew that Kristin was angry and confused and when he was he would often cut..sometimes to deep.  
  
He saw Peter and Sophie talking. Peter turned to Cole. "Hey, Cole. What do you need?" he asked, hoping it was the thing he was going to tell yesterday. "I-I know Kristin wouldn't want me telling but I have to. But I don't want her to hate me," hestarted. "She won't, Cole, but we need to know, for her safety." Sophie explained calmly, trying to calm him down.  
  
"I-I was talking to her last night and she told me something. She said that she stole one of her dad's razors...She's cutting again, Peter." 


	11. Telling Her Dad

Don't Take It All Away  
  
Peter swallowed and Sophie gasped. "I didn't want to tell because I didn't want her to get mad at me..But I don't want her to hurt herself." Cole said getting nervous. "It's okay, Cole. Thanks for telling us...Go back to class, okay?" Peter siad and smiled a little. Cole nodded and walked out.  
  
"I knew this was a bad idea! From the time he and social services called...I knew what would happen and look-she's gone back to what she use to do!" Peter exclaimed, getting frantic as he immidiately reached for the phone.  
  
Sophie grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes. "Peter, don't. You know what we agreed on," she said calmly. "I know I know...stay out of it, let her work it out...but I can't, Sophie. We don't know if he's hitting her! And now she's cutting herself again." Peter said.  
  
"Peter...Why don't you try talking to her father? In a peaceful way. Maybe suggest that she come for a visit soon. Maybe after her birthday." she suggested. "That's a month away!" he protested. "Yeah, but that'll give her time to adjust." She said and begin to walk out. "Calm him and tell him, Peter, but don't make an idiot of yourself," she said and walked out.  
  
Peter just shook his head and dialed the number he had grown to memorize. Kristin answered. "Hey, Kristin!" he greeted her. She threw the phone down and yelled for someone he couldn't quite get.  
  
"Don't yell-Sammy is trying to sleep and so is Leah! And don't slam the damn phone you'll break it!" Robert scolded. "Oh big deal she's always sleeping!" Peter heard Kristin say.  
  
"Hello?" Robert asked. "Hi it's Peter." Peter said in an icy tone. "Oh, hey. What's up?"  
  
"There's something about Kristin..." Peter started. "What? Kristin quit listening on!" "I wasn't!"  
  
"A student here, named Cole, called last night and talked to her..And he said she's.. well there's no easy way for me to say this but she's cutting again." Peter said. "Cutting? Cutting what?" Robert asked in a confused tone then continued to say, "Colt put that back! That's not a toy or a food!" Peter heard Robert scold.  
  
"She's cutting herself, Robert." Peter finally said. "Herself?! With what?" Robert cried. "One of your razors." "Oh my God. I have to go." he said and hung up hte phone.  
  
Robert stormed up to Kristin's room and swung the door open. She was looking at a magazine and jumped. "What are you doing? G et out of here!" she yelled. "Where is it?" he demanded. "Where's what?" she asked and went back to looking at the magazine. His yelling didn't really faze her.  
  
"The razor, damnit!" he yelled. Colt appeared in the doorway. "Daddy quit yelling!" he whined. "Colt go to your room!" Robert exclaimed.  
  
"I don't have a freaking razor now leave me alone!" Kristin yelled back. "Then let me see your arms!" "NO!" She yelled. SHe jumped up and tried to run past him but he grabbed her and pulled the sleeves to her sweatshirt up and saw the marks. "Let go of me!" she yelled, "get out of my room NOW!"  
  
He swallowed and backed out and she slammed the door then grabbed the money she had. She peered into the hallway and saw him walk into his bedroom and shut the door.  
  
Then she ran downstairs and slipped out the door. 


	12. Running

Don't Take It All Away  
  
Hey! Sorry for not updating yesterday I was very busy! I was adding the rest of my stories to my fanfiction site. Ok at first it was Aaron Carter and the BSB and then I decided to add Higher Ground, too. There aren't any new stories there but just in case you still want to go there the address is http://www.amazingly-dazed.net/Inseperable and it's called Inseperable Fiction.  
  
Kristin shivered in the rain as, a day later, she walked up the school and hung back in the dark shadows of the woods. It was night which meant she'd been gone for a day and a half and all the lights were off except one in Peter's office.  
  
**The day before around 6-7 PM**  
  
"Okay guys we have some real bad news," Peter started but Shelby interupted, "ooh did the cafeteria stove break down? That's HORRIBLE, Peter!" she said sarcastically. Peter smirked. "No, it's something with Kristin. She ran away from her house earlier today and he hasn't seen or heard from her since."  
  
Cole gulped. 'It's all my fault', he thought angrily.  
  
**Back to the future [hehe!]**  
  
Knowing him he was probably watching the woods like a hawk. She decided to make a dash for the boys dorm. Cole's window was to tall for her to reach so she had to climb up there. She peered in and saw that he was laying wide awake. She rapped on the window with her knuckles and made the 'come outside' sign before she fell. She jumped to her feet as Cole stepped outside.  
  
He ran to her. "What are you doing here?! Are you crazy?" he exclaimed. "Would you shut up?" she barked. she looked towards Peter's office and saw him walking out. "Shit," she mumbled and dove under a bush. Peter walked up to Cole. "What are you doing up, Cole?" he asked suspiciously. "Uh, um, j-just...boy it's cold! I'm gonna go back to bed!" he said and tried to move around Peter but Peter grabbed his shoulder. "Nice try. What are you doing?" Peter asked.  
  
"Nothing! Geez what would I be doing?" "I don't know, you tell me?" "Nothing, Peter!" Cole said, getting angry. "Now can I go to bed?" he demanded. "Fine. Go, but if I find anything out, Cole you'll be in trouble," he warned. "Yeah, yeah,"Cole mumbled and walked back to his bed. Peter took one last look around and new that Kristin was around somewhere but he left. She sighed with relief and looked through the boys window. Cole had laid back down and was curled in a ball and snoring lightly.  
  
"Great." She mumbled and looked around and finally went behind the building and also curled into a ball under a bush and finally fell asleep. 


	13. Scott

Don't Take It All Away 13  
  
Kristin woke up the next morning with Cole standing in front of her. She jumped up and rubbed her eyes. "What do you want?" she asked but it slurred together as 'whadyouwan?'  
  
"You to tell me why." he demanded. She ignored him and rubbed her stomach. "I'm hungry!" she whined. "Then come to the cafeteria," he said invitedly. "I may be 12, but I'm not stupid! If Peter sees me he'll make me go back!" she yelled.  
  
"Oh, you're NOT stupid?! Well that's right but it was a pretty stupid thing to do for a twelve-year-old girl walking all the way here!" he scolded. "What are you my father? And anyway I didn't walk...Not all the way, anyways," she mumbled.  
  
"Don't tell me you hitch hiked!" he exclaimed. "Okay, I won't then!"  
  
"You idiot!" he cried. she stuck her tounge out at him. "Real mature. What do you want?" He asked. "As in food? Anything. One of the truckers gave me a moldy banana but I didn't eat it." she said, shrugging.  
  
_____________________  
  
At breakfast Cole was acting funny. "What's up, Cole?" Scott asked. "Wha? Oh-nothing," Cole said. Scott eyed him. "Yeah right!" he said. "why'd you go outside yesterday? And who was tapping on the windows?"  
  
"What is this? The third degree? I was outside yesterday for some fresh air. Some trailblazer was tapping on the window to see if she could sell some smokes!" Cole explained, in a low voice. He always sucked at lying.  
  
"That sure was some short high schooler..." Scott said, raising an eyebrow. "Heh heh. What can I say?? Shortness runs in his family!" Cole said nervously as he got up after putting his leftover sausage in his napkin. "Him? I thought it was a girl?" Scott asked, glaring at Cole. "Shut up, man! God..." COle mumbled and walked off.  
  
_________________  
  
Kristin graciously accepted the food and nearly devoured it while Cole watched her intently. "I have to tell Peter, Kristin," he said as she looked up at him with an embarassed look, which quickly turned to a frown and then an angry look. "No! No, you don't!" she yelped.  
  
"I can't keep sneaking food for you! Scott knows something is up!" Cole exclaimed as Kristin mumbled, "Oh great!" and Cole turned around to see Scott gawking at them.  
  
Okay I'll try to update soon please r/r! 


	14. QUIT WHINING

Don't Take It All Away  
  
**Some one asked me this before so I'm gonna go ahead and say that Kristin's b-day is March 10, 1989 [like mine] but I guess since she's 12 at this point in the story is 1990 but whatever...Math's not my thing..When I started writing the Kristin stories that was true...**  
  
"What are you doing here?!" Scott exclaimed, walking up to her. "Geez, no hello's or anything?" Kristin asked sweetly. "No..And I don't think Peter's gonna be saying hello when he sees you either!"   
  
"He's not gonna see me!" Kristin said, glaring at Cole. "She hitch hiked here." Cole told Scott. Kristin kicked his shin. "Oww!" Cole exclaimed. "Well you shouldn't have hitch hiked!" Cole whined, rubbing his shin. She threatened to kick him again when Shelby showed up.  
  
"Oh, no..." Kristin moaned and slumped back in the bushes. "Let's all just throw a party for God's sake!" She yelled, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "YOu suck at secrets!" she accused Cole.  
  
"Well, well, well. My favorite lil' runaway! This sure is interesting!" She exclaimed. "Shove it, Shelby...Don't tell Peter he'll just make me go back!" Kristin whined. "Quit whining!" Scott exclaimed. "I'm not whining!"  
  
_______________  
  
Peter and Sophie were talking to the police men who had come to Horizon to keep a look-out for Kristin when Peter noticed that Cole, Scott and Shelby had-all within about 5 minutes of eachother-gone to the back of the boys dorm and hadn't come out.   
  
He smiled at the officers and politely excused himself and made his way there.  
  
He heard talking and arguing amongst the three and of a fourth person as he neared there. Shelby turned around when she heard crunching leaves. "Peter!" she exclaimed. "Kristin!" he yelled. She took one look at him and ran. 


	15. Adopted and Junk

Don't Take It All Away  
  
UHHH this is the second time haven't to right this chapter...I was almost complete then the AC site I was on [they come with curses damnit!] totally messed up my computer...ARGH! If someone reviews your site with the name 'Funkee Monkee' or 'ACROX2001' and they're anymous, it isn't me..someone pretended to be me and signed an extremely rude message [I've never done that]..plus the person is to stupid to know that I changed my user name before he/she started doing that. Just warning you!  
  
Something in this chapter leads up to my next story about the guys in the Cliffhangers joining the big brother group as sort of a community project [there is a sub-plot w/ the girls and some guy trailblazers olympic type thingie mabobber:-)]!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Since Kristin didn't get a big head start, Peter easily caught up with her- especially since she was weak from barely eating in two days.  
  
Peter took her to his officer where Sophie and the 2 officers-Peter's friend Joe and Nick- still waited. "Oh, Kristin!" Sophie cried and hugged her tightly. "We were so worried about you-how could you do something so stupid?" she exclaimed out of worry.  
  
Kristin didn't answer, she just protested when Nick picked up the phone to call Robert. "I don't wanna go back! I want to stay HERE! I hate it there and at school!" Sophie looked at Peter who was talking to the officer.  
  
"I know some things aren't fair, but you've got to do this, Kristin. If you don't like it in a few weeks, maybe Robert will let you come back. Let's go eat," she suggested. Kristin reluctantly followed her.  
  
"Why can't she stay here for a few days?" Peter asked Joe as Nick talked to Robert. "Peter, you're my best friend and I'd do anything for you, but we're not social services or any of that. We have to follow our orders." Joe explained.  
  
______________  
  
Kristin, who had given up fighting, was in the back of the police car for the 2 hour trip back home. "I'm just gonna run again!" she mumbled to Peter as he said a reluctant good-bye. "Kristin, if I had control over this, you'd be right here! You know that!" he answered.  
  
____________  
  
Later Peter and Sophie were talking. Kristin hadn't gotten there yet they knew. "I want a kid." Peter said suddenly. Sophie looked at him. "We have one." "I know but she might not even be ours anymore-plus, I want one that's with us all the time," he tried to explain.  
  
"Peter, how would we just..get a kid?" Sophie questioned. Truthfully, even before all this happened with Kristin, she had wanted another child. A younger one, a younger sibling for Kristin. "There's an orphange downtown. I-uh, kinda already made an appointment to see them. And I forgot we're suppose to be there 20 minutes ago. This was before Kristin ran away." Peter explained.  
  
Sophie smiled and kissed him. "What are we waiting for?" she asked. Peter smiled back. "I want Kristin to be happy, but I know that Robert would really like to have her back, but no matter what i know she's coming back." Peter said confidently. Sophie shook her head. "I'm going to tell Hank and Roger we're leaving for a few minutes..Just think, when we come back we could have a child with us!"  
  
Hey..did you like it? I didn't know if the adoption thing is a good idea but I wanted to freshen the story up..I'm wondering if people are sick of the Kristin stories?? I mean a lot of people don't like them in the first place cuz they don't like the fact that she's only 12..I wasjust wondering..anyway tell me what you think of the adoption idea! 


	16. Tearin' Up My Marraige...

Don't Take It All Away  
  
Okay this is gay I have to write this again lol..I hate my computer..ooh new purdy backround!!! I MADE IT, TO!! It's purdyful hehe now the computer is...uhh..blue and green and..well, you know who;-0 Oh wow I actually know where this story is going ::Shakes head:: it shouldn't be more then 22 chapters..but maybe I'll start sppppprrrrrreaaaaaaaaadddddddiiiiiiinnnnnnnnggggggg things out! hehe I'm evil..Maybe I'll change my name to Evil Funkee MOnkee!!!1!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I honestly can't believe you, Kristin! You scared me and your father half to death! It's only 2 weeks before your birthday so I'd suggest you SHAPE UP missy!" Leah scolded, glaring at her as she cradled Sammy in one arm.  
  
"You're not my mother, so shove off!" Kristin retorted angrily. She had been home for an hour and this had been all she had heard.  
  
Leah turned to Robert for help, but he just shrugged helplessy as Colt sat on his knee and bounced. "Wee! Wee!" he cheered. "Robert, this is YOUR child! You can't be afraid to discipline her because you're afraid that she'll turn you in for child abuse, damnit! That is all in the past and if she can't forget it that's HER fault. But I am NOT going to discipline YOUR child since obviously from her mouth I have no right to talk to her, yet her biological mother hasn't spoken to her in God knows how long!" Leah yelled.  
  
Colt looked at her in awe. "You said a bad word!" he shrieked and slapped Robert's knee. Robert begged her with his eyes. "Just, come on Leah we'll talk about it later. Maybe over dinner..Kristin can watch Sam and Colt...We don't need to talk about this in front of the kids.." he said.  
  
She shook her head. "You think I'm going to leave my children in the care of someone who just was returned to our custody with the police by her side?! Uh, no! She can take you talking with her around. Discipline her, Robert! I don't know if I can be around someone who is raising a spoiled brat. You've disciplined Colt before!" Leah urged.  
  
"Damnit Leah! I sent him to time-out! I'm not hitting my kid so back off!" he screamed and jumped up, Colt falling to the ground as he ran to his room and slammed the door. Leah's face was tear-streaked now. "Now see what you've done?" she cried and thrust Sammy into Kristin's arms and ran to their room, too.  
  
"Did mommy and daddy have a fight?" Colt asked curiously. "She's not your mother!"  
  
__________-at the adoption agency thingamabobber place-_____________  
  
"What age are you looking for?" the lady asked. Peter and Sophie glanced at eachother. "We were hoping a younger one, but not neccesarily a baby...We run a school in the mountains and with those kids, a personal situation going on and stuff we couldn't handle a baby," Peter explained as Sophie nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well, there are two children that just came in. Their mother died and their father is incarcerated [whatever..]. They're two-year-old twins named Aaron and Ashley [not becuz of Aaron Carter..I wuv that name!]. They are as adorable as can be, but are in their toddler stage so they'd be a handful." she explained, handing a picture of two bright-eyed, blonde haired toddlers swung and beamed for the camera.  
  
Sophie looked at Peter and she started talking. "Two children? At once? Peter, we're already having to stretch your house. Your extra room won't be an extra room anymore...Could two two-year-olds really share rooms without destroying everything in sight?" she asked him.  
  
"Actually," the woman spoke up, "Aaron and Ashley are quite well behaved. They were brought up rather strictly so they know when to stop. They are just ordinary toddlers. If you say 'stop', they will stop. They're wonderful children. A handful at times, ut wonderful. This trauma has actually slowed their devolpment down, so they may not be where most kids their age are as far as communication skills."  
  
Peter nodded and went back to Sophie's comments. "They're twins; it's not like having two regular two-year-olds who don't know eachother, Soph. How much trouble can two two-year-olds be?"  
  
_____________________  
  
HEHEEHE I'll update more later tonight [most likely] 


	17. Aaron and Ashley

Don't Take It All Away  
  
Hey! Please continue reviewing so much! Sorry for not updating! I've been sooo busy!  
  
____________  
  
Leah and Robert soon left. "I don't know how long we'll be gone. We need to talk. Probably around two days. It's the weekend so it doesn't matter. Don't destroy the house," Leah said without a good bye to any of the kids.  
  
Kristin looked at Colt and Sammy, who sat on hte floor watching TV, seeming unaffected by this whole thing. "Kristin? Why's mommy and daddy so mad?" COlt asked. "Umm...I don't know, Colt. Don't worry about it..It-it's just grown-up stuff." she explained weakly, putitng on a false smile. It was enough to satisfy Colt, though.  
  
An hour later, Sammy started crying. Since Leah rarely let Kristin hold him, she didn't know if he was hungry, wet, tired or what. She looked for Colt's help. "He hungwy." he said and turned back to the TV.  
  
Kristin picked up Sammy and carried him to the kitchen. "What does he eat?" she called to him. "FOOD!" he yelled back. "Colt, come here!" she snapped as he ran in. "Whaaaat?" he whined, "I'm missing Power Rangers!"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "What does he eat?" she demanded. Colt walked to the pantry and took out a thing of strained carrots. "This yucky stuff!" he said, handed it to her, and ran off.  
  
She groaned as he looked at her and slobbered. "This is going to be a looong two days..." she moaned.  
  
______________  
  
Peter and Sophie followed the lady [now she's Ms. Smith I'm talking of writing the lady lol] to a playground where tons of little kids ran around. "The older children are studying. Even on the weekends; we believe in setting a specific time..." she blabbed about the orphanage's philosophy. Peter smiled and nodded politely but he was eyeing all the kids until he saw a little boy and girl, both blonde haired and blue eyed, sitting on the tiny jungle gym and jabbering away.  
  
"Ahh...I believe you've found the children. They're names are Aaron James and Ashley Lynn. I guess their last name will be Scarbrow now, though?" she suggested. Peter nodded. "Well follow me." Ms. Smith said and started walking towards the two, Peter and Sophie followed.  
  
"AJ, Ashley, we have some people here who would like to meet you." Ms. Smith said then turned to Peter and Sophie. "He prefers AJ rather then Aaron. Or, at least with me. I hear most children calling him Aaron or Aaron Jamie for the older ones-they think that's rather cute." she explained.  
  
Peter and Sophie nodded. Aaron and Ashley allowed Ms. Smith to pick them up and place them firmly on the ground. Aaron was dressed in jeans and a blue and green sweater and his jacket-a mixture of bright colors-was open. He looked up at them and smiled. Ashley-also wearing jeans but was wearing a pink Unicorn sweater and pink jacket-looked up and smiled, too.  
  
"Hi! I'm Aaron!" Aaron exclaimed. "Hi, Aaron. I'm Peter and this is Sophie." Peter introdced them. Aaron smiled then looked at Ashley, who didn't say anything. "This is my twin sister Ashley. She's 2, too! She shy though." Aaron explained. "Well, Aaron, Ashley lets go talk with these nice people and go to your room. It's chilly outside," Ms. Smith said. She picked Ashley up and Aaron grabbed her hand as they walked back inside.  
  
They walked into a large room upstairs. It had 4 beds and 2 cribs. "This is where May sleeps, and Jay-Jay and the babies Carlie and Quinton!" Aaron explained. "He's a chatterbox," Ms. Smith said laughing. "Well, Aaron and Ashley you two stay in here. Me and Peter and Sophie are going to talk." she told them as they walked around the upstairs, Ms. Smith showing them an occasional dirty room.  
  
"So..What's your decision? I'd rather we not seperate them so if you'd only like one we'll have to look at another child." Ms. Smith said firmly as she closed a door to some pre-teens.  
  
Peter looked at Sophie who smiled and nodded slightly. "We'd love to adopt them!" 


	18. Colt's An Idiot

Don't Take It All Away  
  
omg it's been like forever since I last updated lol. Ugh..running 5 sites can't be good for your health! Especally if one is a humor site...Okay. I forgot where I left off. Let me go look...Ahhh found it! That's sad but I don't care. Oh yeah sorry about that last chapter..yeah it went w/ my BSB story..about Nick killing all his siblings HAHAHAHA I'm evil! MUAHAHA! Okay and I clicked on it then I realized what I did and clicked stop so it stopped then I uploaded the HG chapter but my computer is gay and lately ff.net is to so you know what happens..Muahaha. I'm in a dumb state...My computer hates me and my dog thinks she is a human. Well, come to think of it, all 3 of them do. And my hermit crabs Nick and Aaron are disturbing also. Don't you DARE say anything about the names damnit!  
  
________________  
  
Peter and Sophie walked into Horizon, each carrying a kid. All the Cliffhangers were doing homework at the benches so they walked over there. "Uh, Peter, Soph..what are those?" David asked [okay if I said David wasn't in this story I lied..I miss him! lol].  
  
"Kids. They're kids, David. Aaron and Ashley are two years-old and part of the family now," Sophie answered with a wide grin. "Oh that's awesome!" Ezra congradulated. "How'd they get here?" David asked again.  
  
Shelby got all serious and put her pencil down slowly. "You, see, David, when a man loves a woman like so, they decide to take the next-" she started but David's eyes grew wide. "Haha!" he mumbled.  
  
"Guys group is in 15." Peter said and they walked off.  
  
______________  
  
Kristin tried to quiet Sammy down, who was screaming his head off. Colt was sullenly slumping on the couch flipping through the channels absentmindedly [whatever...]  
  
"Colt! WOuld you mind helping? You know about him then I do!" Kristin yelled. "I only four!" Colt answered and stuck his tounge out at her. "You're annoying!" she yelled back and carried Sammy to the phone.  
  
She didn't want to but she knew she had to call Peter to get help; his crying wasn't gonna stop. When Peter answered Kristin took a breath. "Peter-it's Kristin. Sammy won't shut up. I've tried everything. He just keeps crying and crying." she blurted. "Wait, where are Leah and your father?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know!" she answered miserably. "Have you tried feeding him? Burping him? Changing him? Laying him down?" Peter rattled off questions. "Yes, yes, yes and YES. For a small baby he has such powerful lungs!" she whined.  
  
Suddenly Colt popped a question. "Did you give him his drops?"  
  
Kristin turned and glared at him. "What are you talking about?" she asked wearily. Colt sighed in exasperation, took a longingly look at his show and got up. He took out a bottle and dropped from the fridge. "He has an ear infection. His drops." Colt explained.  
  
"Peter...Colt my wonderful brother just told me something he should've four hours ago. I have to go. Excuse me while I KILL HIM!" she yelled and hung up.  
  
She gave Sammy his drops and ten minutes later he quieted down and she set him in his playpen. 


	19. Carrot 'Ards/Daisy hates Kids!

Don't Take It All Away-**THis story is kinda/sorta nearing it's end...**  
  
Cole kicked at some rocks as he finished up his homework and got up. Everyone else was done so he threw his books on his bed and made his way to the den. With Kristin being gone, he was the youngest person at Horizon and everyone else seemed so..different from him. With Kristin, even if she was a year and a half younger, he could relate more to her then these people.  
  
He walked in and everyone was waiting for him. "NIce of you to show up, Cole!" Auggie joked. "Yeah it went against my original plan," Cole answered with a smirk.  
  
Aaron and Ashley stared at him with wide eyes. "Okay, guys you already know this is Aaron and this is Ashley. They're two-year-old twins and now part of the family-" Peter started but Cole interupted. "Does Kristin know?"  
  
"Um, not yet Cole," Peter answered. "Maybe you should bring her back and tell her. That'll be better then other the phone." Cole reasoned. "Cole, not now," Sophie started but Aaron interupted. "Who Kristin?" he asked.  
  
"She's your big sister," Cole answered. "Sitter?" Ashley questioned, looking up at Peter, who looked away from Cole. "Yep, Aaron and Ashley. You have an older sister. She's 12." Sophie explained.  
  
"Where's she?" they asked. "With a bas-" Cole started but Peter interupted. "Cole Taylor! Stop NOW. SHe is at another home right now." Peter explained to them, shooting an angry look to Cole.  
  
"Okay guys just go around telling the twins your names," Sophie instructed. "Auggie."  
  
"Scott." "Shelby..." "Juliette! Or you can call me Jules." "Oh yay!" Shelby mimicked her. "Ezra." "Daisy. My tarot cards read a spanking in the near future..." "Freak! David." "Kat." "Cole," he mumbled. [okay if I left anyone out...Sowwy!]  
  
Peter sighed. "Think you guys could be a little more enthuiastic?" he suggested. "Now, Peter, why would we wanna do such a freakish thing like that? We'll leave that up to Queenie." Shelby said.  
  
"What's a carrot 'ard?" Aaron asked. "Tarot card, rugrat!" Daisy told him. "Daisy!" Peter and Sophie said together. "You're weird!" Aaron accused, sticking out his tounge. "Exactly why I do NOT want kids!" Daisy mumbled. 


	20. I'm Back! I'm Back!

Don't Take It All Away-Chapter Twenty  
  
OMG I'm back alive! MUAHAHA! Actually my computer is messed up and I'm sneaking on my parents to write this so this'll probably be the only one for about a week or more. Maybe I'll write more and save t to a disk. . Actually I may work more because I'm thinking this story could be 3-4 more chapters at tops. It's not that I don't lik eit but I have 2 really good dieas I wanna start on. Here they are..If youi like both of them I'll be working on both but if you don't like number 2 then I wont. But if you do, I'm going to be working on them both at a time.  
  
First story that'll begin when this one ends..The boy-Cliffhangers are part of the "Big Brother" program at a local orphanage after Peter sees that they're grades are slipping. Meanwhile, The girls are holding a mini- Olympics, along with some boys from other groups.  
  
Second story that [if you like] I'll work on the same time as the one above: After the kids from SOM leaves and Peter sees how Horizon has helped the younger kids like Kristin and Cole, he starts another school-Mount Horizon Junior High. Four [more will come] kids who are in serious danger are the first to be sent there. What Peter figured will be an easy ride like SOM was, turned out to be something that no one will ever forget. It's different from SOM because it's not just a Summer camp and they're not mixed in with the older ones-it's a seperate school [on the same campus] ...It'll be really long like SOM though-I'm warning you about that. Maybe even like a mini-series. So tell me!!!!! On with thestory...  
  
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Two days later Kristin felt like tearing her hair out. SHe hadn't heard from Leah or Robert, Sammy was...loud, and Colt was basically your average four-year-old. Annoying, pesky, bratty and all those synanoms. She had to miss school today because she couldn't just leave Sammy.  
  
It was late at night by then and she was watching TV. She figured that since she couldn't go to school tomorrow-they still hadn't called or anything-she might as well have a decent time. She was watching South Park as the front door swung open. She shrieked and whirled around to see her dad and Leah. Her dad looked furious and something else but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.  
  
Leah's face was tear streaked. "L-Leah?" Kristin asked. "It's your fault!" Leah cried and grabbed Sammy and ran to her room. "Dad?" Kristin asked with a confused look. "I hate you, more than anything that you'll ever know. You ruined the best thing in my damn life. My wife. You ruined it..Just like you ruin everything!" he screamed at her. She swallowed. "Dad, you said-"  
  
"Damnit Bitch I was lying!" he exclaimed. Colt peeked out from his room. "Dad? Daddy!" he cried and ran to RObert, who pushed the little boy down hard and followed Leah.  
  
Leah came out moments later with a suit case and Sammy in her arms. "C'mere Colt," she said. "She took him in her arms and hugged him. "Even though you weren't my son I loved you, Colt," she said as she cried. "Mommy? Where are you going?" he asked. "Me and Sammy are leaving, baby. I don't like it here anymore. But I promise that I still love you," she said and walked out.  
  
RObert started nearing her and she remembered the feeling that she got and knew what was happening and began to panic.  
  
He was drunk. 


	21. It Happens Every Time

Don't Take It All Away--Chapter Twenty-One  
  
. I wuv my mommy and da-da. Yes, sadly, this is how I really act. ::Shakes head::. I gotta take a shower...Rub-a-dub, one girl in the tub..Swips and gets hit with a JI Joe..Wait, I'm mixing up two songs. Dang. I'm confrrrrrrrrrrrrrrused!  
  
**At Horizon**  
  
At class Cole was distracted. He had a feeling something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Not quite. Not yet.  
  
"Mr. Taylor?" Frank asked. Cole looked up. "Yes?" he asked hesitantly. "The answer please?"  
  
"Umm...Six," Cole guessed. "No, six isn't how many states border Maine. What's wrong?" "Nothing. I keep thinking I forgot something." Cole lied. "Well, did you?"  
  
"DId I what?"  
  
"Forget."  
  
"Hmm...I don't know. I guess I forgot if I forgot." Cole said, shrugging as the kids laughed. "Hey Cole, spell dork!" David called out. "D-A-V-I- D!" Cole called back.  
  
"My mommy dead." Aaron said, pointing to a bunch of squiggly lines he had drawn. Peter looked up. Ashley was out with Sophie getting some things. "My mommy died. My daddy is a bad man. Really." He said, wiping his eyes with his small, chubby fists.  
  
"My dad died, too, Aaron," Peter told him. "But I wamember how she died. No one else know." he said, frusterated. "A bad man kilt her." "No, Aaron, cancer killed your mom." Peter tried to explain. "I KNOW. Cancer is a bad man. He hurt mommy. But now Sophie is my mommy. Is that white?" he asked, as he continued scribbling. "Um, yeah it is." Peter answered. "I thought so. Everyone thinks she died from sick. But Cancer killed her."  
  
**At Kristin's house**  
  
Kristin remembered the symptoms of her dad being drunk. He'd start swaying and screaming words she couldn't even understand. She grabbed Colt and ran for her room and locked the door. They hid in the closet. She knew this wouldn't keep him out. It never had. it stalled him, but he always got her.  
  
"Pray, Colt," Kristin ordered. SHe knew how horrible her dad got after it'd been so long. So long since a beating. Since he heard her screaming at night. When she got back from foster care or after she abadoned her for weeks at a time, that night he'd beat her until she couldn't even breathe.  
  
"I am. I really am." Colt said, tears down his cheeks. He hadn't ever seen his daddy like this. Suddenly the door swung open. "I know you're here you stupid ugly bitch!" he roared as she heard his hard, angry footsteps shake the floor as he flung open the closet door and grabbed her collar. 


	22. Getting Away

Don't Take It All Away--Chapter Twenty- Two--  
  
**haylo! Guess whose back? Back again? Funkee's back! Tell a friend!!!!!!! hehehehehe ok toooooooo many pixie stucks!!! Anyway I'm thinking about starting that story about the kids @ a Horizon junior high tonight. It'll be a pre-quel and their stories will be more varied as the ones in SOM. And I wanna make it longer and kinda like a mini-series [basically meaning I don't know when I'll end it..could be at chapter 50 could be at 150] but I don't know what you guys'll think so TELL ME!**  
  
"Colt stay in there!" She whispered harshly as she was yanked from the closet. "Dad..Stop! You promised!" Kristin screamed as she struggled away from him. She realized suddenly as he pummled her that, if she hadn't of gone to Horizon, then she wouldn't be struggling.  
  
"Get off!" she yelled as she wiggled free and tried to flee but he grabbed her and threw her down. "I sure do wish Steven was here!" he said flirtaciously, "then he could do this for me!" he then snarled.  
  
She realized with horror what he was planning to do and started fighting more. "I hate you!" she yelled and she spit in his face-more so in his eyes. He was stunned for a second as his eyes stung and she took this advantage and wiggled away and jumped up. She noticed Colt standing in the doorway.  
  
"Colt come ON!" she yelled. She pushed him forward and through the open door leading outside as her dad grabbed her and jerked her back. "I told you about disobeying your elders, bitch!" he snarled as he smacked her across the face.  
  
She finally got the courage to kick him and he stood stunned for a moment and she took that moment to run and pull Colt along. She ran as fast as she could as Colt ran along side her to the nearest gas station.  
  
She burst in and bent over, almost passing out from exhaustion. Colt almost did and she grabbed him. "Just hold on, okay? Go get a drink, I'm gonna call someone," she said. He looked up at her. "I'm scared, though. WHy is daddy so mad?" he asked. "I don't know," she said quietly. He shrugged and headed to the drinks. She lookedout and saw that her dad wasn't anywhere.  
  
She took out some loose change and jammed them into the payphone. She dialed the number she had come to memorize and Peter answered. She immidiately started crying. "I need to talk to Cole," she said through her tears. "kristin? What's wrong?" he demanded.  
  
"Nothing just let me talk to COle!" she protested. He sighed. "Cole," he said. Cole answered the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"It's my dad...Robert..he got drunk..." she said through her tears. "Did he beat you?!" he demanded. "No! Well, yeah I'm with Colt-" she started but he interupted. "I swear, i'll kill him," he started then lowered his voice. "Listen, I'm going to go get you, okay?" he asked. "NO I'm com-" she started but the phone automatically hung up. "Damn!" she yelled, as she didn't have any more change, just a few crumpled dollars to pay for a drink for her and Colt.  
  
He walked up to her. "Where we goin'?" he asked as he handed her what he had chosen. "To visit my other family," she answered as she grabbed adrink and paid for them. 


	23. I dunno

Don't Take It All Away--Chapter 23--  
  
**At Horizon, midnight**  
  
Cole was dressed in all black. The phone had cut off but he knew-or thought- that she wanted her to meet him somewhere. Hopefully he'd see her. From the picture he saw, Colt's white-blonde hair was unmissable [is that a word?!].  
  
He sneaked out, carefully shutting the door and bolting for the woods. He kept running until he had made it out of the woods and safely onto the highway.  
  
**With Colt and Kristin**  
  
Colt was crying and dragging his feet as they moved on. "WE've been walking for days! Can't we just stop?" He whined. "NO! It's only been two hours, so shut UP! We'll stop in a minute!" She barked. "But I wanna stop NOW!" he protested, stomping his foot.  
  
As he did it, rain started pouring on them. "Great, just great! Now look!" Kristin yelled. The rain was so heavy that she and Colt were already soaked and it was hard to see Colt through the sheets of rain. "I'm cold! It's Feruary! I don't even have a jacket!" He yelled. "It's February, you stupid egghead! And here," she snapped, taking off her soaked light jacket and covering him up with it.  
  
He was still shivering. SHe sighed. "COme here," she muttered and picked him up. "Go to sleep but I can't carry you for a long time," She warned. He nodded and dozed up in her arms.  
  
It was hard to see the streets through the rain. She was so frusterated at one point she sat down on a log and started crying as she gripped Colt. She hated her dad for everything he'd ever done; but, most of all, she hated herself for ever trusting him again. She knew how untrustworthy he was, but she had to go and love him. Idiot.  
  
**With Cole**  
  
As night turned to dawn and dawn turned to bitter cold day, Cole walked and ran , hoping to spotting a little girl with an even younger kid. Suddenly a cop that he hadn't seen pulled up to him with peter beside him. "Cole!" Peter exclaimed and jumped out.  
  
Cole took one look at him and started running, then tripped. As he stumbled his way through the grassy sides of the roads Peter eventually caught up with him. "What are you doing?! Are you CRAZY?" Peter yelled.  
  
"It's Kristin!" Cole said breathlessy. "What-what about Kristin?" Peter demanded. "Her dad..." Cole started but Peter interupted. "That son-" he started but then he got calm. "Cole get in the car and he will take you back to Horizon," Peter said, "and me and Sophie will look for Kristin."  
  
For the first time Cole noticed Sophie sitting in a car, looking worried as Peter and Cole talked. "I want to come with you!" Cole said stubbornly. "NO. You're lucky I don't put you on shuns until you are to old to do them. Now GO." Peter said firmly.  
  
"Fine." Cole mumbled. 


	24. Strange Men

Don't Take it All Away--Chapter Twenty-Four--  
  
Okay I'm back on my computer so more updates. Thanks soo much for all the updates! Please keep it up and check out my new higher ground story IN THE BEST INTEREST!  
  
The next day Kristin pulled Colt along. She knew they were close by the famaliar sights from when she had ran away many times. She saw a car coming up and slowing down but she didn't think anything of it and continued walking.  
  
Suddenly the car stopped completely and an unfamaliar-looking man stepped out. "What's wrong, kiddies?" he asked as he inched towards them. Kristin clung to Colt. "Go away," she warned.   
  
"Aww you're too cute!" he exclaimed sweetly, placing a hand on her chin. She swerved away from him and another car drove off.  
  
"Get away from them!" a police officer yelled. Kristin looked and saw Peter running to her. THe guy backed off and Peter enclosed Kristin into a tight hug. "I missed you, daddy," she said through her relieved tears. "I missed you, too," he whispered hoarsly. They pulled apart and he examined her face.  
  
She looked down at the ground but he moved her face up. "Kristin, did he hit you?" he asked quietly. "No..I just missed you..." she lied. he nodded and decided he'd talk toher later. "Is this your brother?" he asked, nodding towards Colt. She nodded. "She lied. Daddy got real mad and hither," Colt blurted.   
  
"Shut up you little pest!" she snapped. "He's lying," she said immidiately. He nodded. "Come home," he said, "and me and Sophie have a surprise," he finished. She eyed him suspiciously. "What?" she asked.  
  
"Just come on." 


	25. reaction

So..this is the third time having to write this as, I save it, ex out, come back and it's GONE! I'm gonna try adamn disk this time! ANYWAY...go read hgmonkey017's stories "NEWCOMER" and "RECURRENT PAST"! And for you lazy bums who do read butdon't review, here's a hint....REVIEW!!!!!!!! ________________________  
  
It was two hours later and Kristin hadn't left Peter's side when two kids around four-years-old ran up. "Daddy!" They exclaimed. Sophie trotted up next to them, carrying to large bags from Sears. "Let's show daddy what we got later, Aaron and Ashley," SOphie said, trying to grab their hands.  
  
Kristin glared at him. "Daddy?" she demanded. "Yeah, this is my daddy," Ashley spoke up. "Ashley, Aaron, go with your mother," Peter ordered.  
  
"So, I'm gone for what, 3 weeks? And you already tried to replace me?" she demanded, fighting the tears the threatened to roll down her swollen cheeks. "No, Kristin-" he tried to say. "No, it's okay, really, Peter," she explained, "I'm use to getting forgotten. SO don't even try to use those tired-out excuses."  
  
She ran to the girls dorm, leaving Peter confused on her whole statement. Kristin flung hreself on her bed and pounded on a pillow, screaming into it. She didn't notice Shelby.  
  
"Whoa, whoa there Muhammad Ali," she said, sitting next to her. "Leave me alone!" Kristin whined. "Not until you tell me what's wrong," she teased, tickling her. Kristin tried to hold back but exploded into giggles and writhered away from Shelby.  
  
"Peter tried to replace me with those kids." She finally said. "NO, he didn't, they just want kids, Kristin," Shelby tried to explain. "I am their kid." she said darkly. "I mean...Younger ones. You're twelve, ya know? And you don't even live with them. That's all. Plus their little orphans; you should feel sorry for them."  
  
"I don't feel sorry for them. I've never had a home and I turned out al- Never mind..." She said, trailing off, staring into space. "I don't wanna have any siblings. They're all mean." she said. "Just because Steven was mean does not mean all siblings are," Shelby said crossly.  
  
"Name one sibling that isn't!" Kristin shot back. "My little sister, Jess. I love her to death. Auggie's siblings."  
  
"Big deal!" she said but she laid back down and closed her eyes. "I don't wanna hate them, really. I just don't want Peter and Sophie to forget about me."  
  
"With your loud mouth and the trouble you and David cause together, I don't think that's possible," she said with a smirk. "David's my big brother." Kristin mumbled before dozing off.  
  
**The next chapter will be the last. By the David's my big brother it's not gonna be that he's her real brother it's just she gets along with her..Ya know? Riiiiiight! Just remember to read COLE'S STORY! hgmonkey017! 


	26. Closure

Don't Take It All Away--Last Chapter--  
  
Pwease read Cole's story RECURRENT PAST! His user name is hgmonkey017 and hte story rocks! This is the last chapter, but as i struck a deal with Cole, after this one I'll write one or two to In The Best Interest and start my next story! I don't own the song "For You" by Staind. I'm still not sure who sings it or wrote it or anything.  
  
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Kristin sat on her bed, thinking about the good times she had with her dad over three works, and getting them mixed in with the first twelve years before Horizon.  
  
~To my mother, to my father, It's your son or it's your daughter, Are my screams loud enough for you to hear me? Should I turn this up for you? ~  
  
"Hey there," Cole greeted her, "Peter wants to talk to you, plus it's chow time." She turned to look at him. "Cole, remember I told you what he did?" she asked. He nodded slowly-he had gotten use to Kristin referring to her dad as "he".  
  
"I didn't tell you everything. He didn't just...he didn't just hit me once or twice, like I said. I, I tried to get away faster, I was trying to protect Colt. But he grabbed me and kept hitting me. It was like before. But I trusted him, Cole, so it's my fault, right? If I hadn't of trusted him, I could've prevented it when I saw him drunk instead of just hiding in a closet." she persisted, looking straight into his eyes.  
  
~I sit locked inside my head Remembering everything you've said This silence gets us nowhwere! Gets us nowhere way too fast! ~  
  
"We never talked like real families should. The entire three weeks, it was an occasional bits and pieces of a conversation. But not a conversation. I've never had a real conversation with him. I've always just been a slave to him. WHY? Was your dad always like that?" she demanded.  
  
He started answering her first questions. "Kristin...It wasn't your fault. You're just a little kid. You can't predict the future. My dad wasn't always like that. He..He kinda...killed my mom. It started when the twins were born. He hit my mom while she was pregnant and now one of 'em is kinda messed up," Cole explained, "I've never forgave him. You need to tell Peter so your dad won't get away with this."  
  
~The silence is what kills me I need someone here to help me But you don't know how to listen And let me make my decisions ~  
  
"No! I don't want to, Cole. I just want to forget him. It's easy, really...Just ignore it like it never happened." she said, shrugging. "No, it's NOT easy, Kristin. If you remember so much from when you were younger you're not just going to forget that your father beat the hell out of you. You need to tell Peter!"  
  
~'Cause I sit here locked inside my head remembering everything you've said The silence gets us nowhere! Gets us nowhere to fast! ~  
  
He sat on the bed next to her and put his arm around her. "When I told Peter, I felt better. A lot better."  
  
"Peter knows my dad did that!" "He doesn't know that that's the reason why you ran! You don't have any bruises on your face. He doesn't KNOW." he tried to convince her. "Yeah my dad got smart," she said sarcastically, "he slapped me around but more so hurt my back."  
  
Then Scott and Shelby walked in. "What's up?" Scott asked. "My-Never mind. I'm going to talk to Peter." Kristin said and jumped up.  
  
She ran to Peter's office and ran into him. She stumbled back. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked. She shook her head and hugged him tightly, her feelings from the past three weeks spilling out.  
  
~All your insults and your curses make me feel like I'm not a person And I feel like I am nothing but you made me so do something 'Cause I'm fucked up because you are Need attention, attention you couldn't give ~  
  
"Kristin," he tried to comfort her. "He-he hit me, Peter. I thought he had changed. I really did. I trusted him, and he started again." she said through her tears. "I should've seen it. He never paid attention to anything I said, really. He just left me get away with everything. But sometimes he'd snap and start screaming at the littlest thing."  
  
"WHy didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me he hit you?" Peter asked, bending down to be eye level with her, gripping her shoulders. "He didn't until the night before I ran. He came home drunk because his wife was leaving him. She left with Sammy and he hit me real hard, and then I ran with Colt."  
  
~I sit here locked inside my head Remembering everything you've said This silence get us nowhere! Gets us nowhere way to fast !~  
  
"PLease don't make me go ever again." she begged him. "I won't, I swear. You're never leaving again." he assured her, enclosing her in a tight hug when Aaron and Ashley bounced in.  
  
Kristin wiped her eyes and faced her little brother and sister. "Hi-hi," they chirped. "Aaron, Ash, this is your big sister, Kristin," Peter explained, smiling. "Daddy talked about you a lot," Aaron remarked.  
  
They each ran to her and hugged her gleefully.  
  
Kristin looked up at Peter. "I love you," she said softly. He smiled and put an arm around her shoulder. "I love you, too," he answered and kissed the top of her head.  
  
  
  
**Okay that was the end. Personally, I think it's a lot better than some of my endings have been, because it brings closure to the story. Well please read and REVIEW Cole's story RECURRENT PAST! And review this one;- )** 


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